Nice Legs, Daisy Dukes
by Star-Child-Yeci
Summary: One Shot, Drabble Collection / Because Menma is strangely territorial and Hinata has better things...people to do. [Road to Ninja]
1. Question

**A/N: **An excuse for me to update stupid drabbles/one shots surrounding my beloved Hinata. And, since it's me, you know it comes with a twist. Not sure how to categorize this. Does it go under Menma and Hinata or Sasuke and Hinata? -sigh- Oh, the hardships of being a fanfiction writer._  
_

**Summary: **AU Canon - Set in 'Road to Ninja Universe'. A collection on unrelated drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_Question_

Hinata shifted under the sheets, slipping out of the boy's arms. She walked confidently around the room shrouded in the dark. She bent down to retrieve her clothes, pulling them over her sweat-slicked skin. Sasuke rose, watching her with interest. His own clothes were on the ground, slightly ripped and torn. He gasped softly in pain, the wounds left by Hinata setting in. She smirked and thought aloud, "Oh, did I hurt you?" Sasuke responded with a laugh.

"Hardly, babe. I love it when you make it hurt." Hinata shook her head and turned, half-dressed, made her way to the bed once more and crawled over to him. "Wanna go another round?" Sasuke laughed again. "I think four times in a day is a bit too much, even for you." Hinata smirked and leaned forward, teasing Sasuke. Her teeth lightly nipped his bottom lip. "Sometimes, Menma and I can go for hours...I think we made it up to six times once." Sasuke groaned, he felt the tips of Hinata's nails dig into his sides.

Again, he was trapped - pinned down by the one girl he couldn't charm or rather...tame. "Does he know?" Sasuke managed to ask through gritted teeth as Hinata pushed him down again.

It took her back for a moment, her eyes widened and stunned. Then she shifted back into her cool demeanor, pushing him down and straddling him. She couldn't bring herself to answer him at that moment, not now. Sasuke was _her's._ She controlled Sasuke, she let it all out on him and he gladly accepted it. It wasn't until later, much later when Sasuke was too tired to keep his eyes open did she answer his question. Hinata was in guilt-induced trance, mumbling nonsense under her breath.

A pause.

"He knows."

* * *

**A/N: **I haven't watched 'Road to Ninja' yet, still waiting on subs - which aren't coming out until late Spring/early Summer. Anyway, I feel as though the relationships in that particular universe are quite twisted, especially since their Naruto - Menma for those who don't know - fuses with Tobi and is full of hatred. Also, their Sasuke is a playboy and Hinata is quite strong-willed and confident.

Until next time, my dears.


	2. Scent

**A/N: **My throat hurts._  
_

**Summary: **AU Canon - Set in 'Road to Ninja Universe'. A collection on unrelated drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_Scent_

Hinata was curled up, hugging her knees to her chest. She was sitting on the tile floor, letting the water wash over her. She took a deep, measured breath. It had already been an hour and she still couldn't bring herself to get out of the shower and meet up with Menma. The water had turned cold a while back and gooseflesh covered her arms as the droplets rained on her. Finally, when she couldn't take it anymore, a small, creeping suspicion that she'd be sick tomorrow, she turned the shower off. Slowly, Hinata got up.

Her movements were robotic. Her feet slapped the ground as she slowly emerged from the bathroom. She gathered her hair in her hands and twisted it, squeezing out the water. Once satisfied, she dabbed at her skin with a towel, wishing - praying, that Menma wouldn't notice.

She was so occupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice him at first. Hinata was humming a tune, swaying her hips to the music as she dug out of her clothes, chewing her lip as she tried to decide what to wear for their date. Then, she felt it - a sudden pulse of chakra that made her freeze and the tip of a kunai placed at her throat.

Hinata narrowed her eyes, her Byakugan activated as she slid her eyes to the side, glaring at Menma. His whisker-marks, thicker than usual, and his eyes - carefree and kind in front of other, but bestial when around her - were darker than usual. He breathed in slowly, rubbing his cheek against hers. Hinata, still glaring, amplified her own chakra. "You~ reek~ of someone else~!" Menma remarked in a playful tone.

Before she could react, Menma already had his hand over her mouth and the kunai was already dripping with blood, a long, angry and red scratch marking her shoulder.

* * *

**A/N:** Basically, Menma smells Sasuke on Hinata. If that makes sense. Bye.


	3. First Kiss

**A/N: **Bleeeeh._  
_

**Summary: **Set in 'Road to Ninja Universe'. A collection on unrelated drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_First Kiss  
_

It was Hinata's first day at the academy. She had fought tooth and nail against her parents. After much arguing, crying and screaming, Hinata had been allowed to wear pants and a tank top. Her hair was tied up, making it more manageable. She was annoyed - she couldn't find her cousin, who _promised_ to bring her lunch and Ko was nowhere to be found. The little girl scrunched up her face and swore - loudly. "Fucker is never on time!" The other children blinked, shock on their faces before returning to their own lunch, their conversations now centering on what exactly did the word, 'fucker' actually mean.

Hinata brushed her bangs out of her face and got up. She dusted her pants and walked away, mumbling curses underneath her breath. She kicked at the ground, angry at the world - angry at her cousin for not bringing her lunch, angry at her father that made her come to this stupid place, angry at Ko for shirking his duty and-

In her fury, she failed to notice the boy in front of her. They fell and hit the grass - the merest touch of their lips connecting. His face flushed in embarrassment, her face flushed in anger. She got up hastily and kicked the blond boy in the groin. He yelped in pain, clutching the sensitive spot. "Idiot!", she screamed and walked away.

The boy, his fit of pain over, squinted his blue eyes at her retreating figure. "I _guess_ she's alright..."

* * *

**A/N:** I like reviews. And I know there is people reading this/following it - btw, this will 'daily' updates. Didn't get one yesterday since I was/am sick.


	4. Silence

**A/N: **Double Update today._  
_

**Summary: **Set in 'Road to Ninja Universe'. A collection on unrelated drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_Silence  
_

The only sounds that filled the air were of two people sparring. Hinata continued to exchange blows with Menma, fists and legs flying - each colliding with one another. Hinata's attacks fused with chakra and Menma's attacks filled with ferocity. The two were breathing hard, sweat clinging to their brows as they prepared to launch another attack. Hinata prepared to amplify her Byakugan, her hands coming together and forming a sign, when Menma threw a kunai at her. She barely managed to dodge when another kunai flew her way - shadow stitched to the previous one.

Her eyes widened and she attempted to dodge once more when she crashed into Menma's body. He pinned her down and a cruel, sadistic smile crossed his face. Hinata curled into herself, attempting to put more distance between her and Menma. Hinata's eyelids fluttered closed, followed by a sharp intake of breath. She waited for the blow of his hand, the sharp point of the kunai, or even the knash of his teeth. Yet what she didn't brace herself for was...absolutely nothing. The weight of Menma's body disappeared and she blinked, opening her eyes in confusion.

Now she understood. She wasn't even worth it.

And so, she cried.

* * *

**A/N: **Because Menma is a manipulative, little bastard.**  
**


	5. Ramen

**A/N:** Happy Valentines Day. Listening to Boxxy's 'You See' - I love her!_  
_

**Summary: **Set in 'Road to Ninja Universe'. A collection on unrelated drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_Ramen  
_

Sasuke was alone, eating at Ichiraku's and stuck in contemplation. He poked his pork slice with his chopsticks, not entirely feeling hungry but still wishing to eat anyway. He was alone, a welcome changes after hanging around with so many girls. He was getting ready to pay when _she _came in. Her long hair flew past as she ran into the resturant. Loud, boisterous and commanding, "Oi! Old man! Seen Menma around?" The old man turned, a brief smile lighting his features. "Sorry, Menma hasn't stopped by."

Hinata frowned, her chakra spilling everywhere, completely out of control. "That idiot! The one time I bother-"

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. "Trouble in paradise?" Hinata's eyes flashed as she took notice of him for the first time. "Shut up, you bastard!" Sasuke chuckled in response. further aggravating the young woman. He continued to eat his noodles quietly, waiting for her to defuse. She took a seat beside him, trembling in rage. Sasuke hummed to himself quietly, waiting for her to give in. Hinata's hands were curled into fists and she took deep breaths.

"Do _you_ know where Menma is?" The question was spoken in a whisper. He glanced at her, mulling over his options. "Maybe." Hinata snapped and whirled around, grabbing hold of Sasuke by the front of his shirt. "Don't fuck around with me!" She had her fist raised, "I'll smash that pretty-face of yours! I don't give a shit that you're Menma's best friend!" They stared each other down and Sasuke finally relented. "He's training." Hinata dropped him and he landed, rather ungracefully, on his arse.

"Thanks." She turned, her hair whipping behind her as she walked out of the restaurant. Yet he couldn't help himself as he called out to her, "Hey! When you get bored with him, stop by my place and I'll show you want a real man is made of!"

Hinata froze and turned right around, a smile plastered on his face. Sasuke smirked, a haughty expression overtaking his face. He opened his mouth, "So finally decided to give me a chance, huh?"

"As if, asswipe."

And the next thing Sasuke saw was the ceiling of the hospital room with a disapproving Sakura hovering over him.

* * *

**A/N: **Woot, woot! More follows. Thank you lovelies~ This was originally called 'Confession' but it took a life of its own. The original will be posted later today/tomorrow (Feb. 15)**  
**


	6. Confession

**A/N:** Today's song is Candy Candy, sung by Oliver (original by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu) Here is a 'cute' moment for Menma and Hinata._  
_

**Summary: **A collection on unrelated drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_Confession  
_

"Yuck!" Menma spit out the atrocious sweet. "That tastes absolutely disgusting!" There was now a glob of saliva dripping from Menma's lips. The candy lay on the ground, half-eaten and forgotten. Hinata arched her eyebrows, amused and said nothing in response. Menma growled and wiped his mouth, disgust evident on his face. "How can you eat it that?" Hinata shrugged in response and took a handful of sours, easily popping them into her mouth. Menma watched, fascinated and horrified at the same time.

Hinata continued to suck on the candies, a slight crease forming between her eyebrows as her tongue became cut by the candy. She felt the burn caused by the sugar. Her frown deepened as her tongue became irritated. Her eyes glanced down at the bag held in her hands, immediately regretting her decision to shove so much into her mouth all at once. The saliva began to build up in her mouth and Hinata felt her mouth burn. She placed her hand over her lips, willing her self to not throw up. Something brushed by her cheek and she blinked. She glanced at Menma and swallowed everything in her mouth out of shock.

He had kissed her cheek.

She blinked once more and felt the last bit of candy vanish from the back of her throat. Hinata got up and moved away from him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" His response shocked her.

"I like you." Menma grinned wolfishly. "That and you looked pretty stupid just now." Menma twisted his face in an imitation of her. Bulging cheeks, teary eyes and hand in place. He burst out laughing at her shocked expression. She slapped him across the face and still, he continued to laugh. Hinata's cheeks burned in embarassement. In retaliation, a plan formed in her mind. A pleasant smile spread across her face and her eyes closed, as though equally amused. Yet, not all was forgiven for she dug into the bag and brought out a fistful of sour candies. "Woman, what ar-"

She shoved the candies down Menma's throat

* * *

**A/N: **Bleh. I only got four hours of sleep. Oh and whereas regular Hinata likes sweet things, RTN hinata (here at least) likes sour things. The candy I had in mind for this is 'Toxic Waste' Sour Candy or 'Warheads'; whichever you think is the most sour.**  
**


	7. Nightmare

**A/N:** Today's song is 'Blame It', covered by Of Mice and Men._  
_

**Summary: **A collection on unrelated drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_Nightmare  
_

She clutched a broken glass in her hand. "Get away from me..." Her eyes darted frantically and her hands quivered. Hinata knew she was trapped as her back touched the wall. Her lover advanced, animosity evident in his eyes. "I said get away from me!" Her makeup was smeared, tears running down her face. The man opposite her smiled cruelly, ghastly shadows cast on the walls behind him.

"Why do got that in your hand, huh, pet?" The words slid off his tongue and she shivered. Hinata spat, "So I can twist the broken end into your face!" Menma's eyes narrowed as he advanced. Hinata and Menma stared at each other for a moment, measuring one each other up. Menma faltered, sending a brief glance at the glass held in Hinata hand. She pounced, like an animal, her teeth bared. The glass in her hand held out in front of her, darting dangerously in and out between them.

Feral growls, yells and screamed escaped them both. Right as the two were winding down from throwing hits and curses each other, the jagged edge of the glass cut Menma's cheek. Fury filled his expression and he swore. The blood ran down his skin in angry rivets and he lunged at Hinata. She screamed and turned to run, to escape. Menma's hands flew out and grabbed hold of her hair. She shrieked and clawed at his hands, her nails digging into the calloused flesh.

He easily overpowered her, pinning her down to the floor. She screamed, her throat becoming sore at its overuse. Again, she attempted to escape. Her hands searching for something to use, _anything_ to get her out from under Menma. Deep down inside, she knew it was too late.

* * *

She awoke the next morning, noting that Menma had already left for work. She got up, glancing at the clock. It was late. Hinata reached up and rubbed her eyes. Her mouth felt dry so she slipped on her slippers and pulled on a robe, tying it up. Hinata walked to the kitchen, taking note that not a thing was out of place. The house was clean. It annoyed her to no end. A sigh escaped her lips as she poured water into a cup, downing it all in one gulp.

The doorbell rang, alerting her of someone's presence. She hurried to answer it, pausing briefly to fix her hair and adjust the sleeves of her robe. Plastering a smile on her face, Hinata opened the door. As expected, there stood the Yamanaka girl, holding a huge bouquet of flowers. "A delivery for you, Lady Hinata." Fake cheeriness entered her voice, "Thank you." The Yamanaka replied, "I see the Hokage is a loving man." Hinata continued the charade. "I am honored to have married him." Ino smiled, at ease with Hinata. After bidding the girl goodbye, Hinata took the flowers, setting them down on the coffee table.

A card was attached, elegant font spelled out, _I love you_. Hinata trembled and opened it, to read the message her husband had left her. She dropped it and ran to the bathroom, a hand held over her mouth. She emptied her stomach of barely digested water and dry retched for a few more minutes.

The card, abandoned on the floor, lay open. In hasty scrawls, it read, _I'm watching you._

* * *

**A/N: **Inspired by 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. Again.


	8. Idol

**A/N:** Look below. It is bolded and italiziced this time. Further more - each drabble/chapter/whatever takes place within its own canon, unless otherwise stated. This is NOT, I repeat, NOT a story. This is drabble/one shot collection. Do what you will with the text - link them together in your own, seperate them, pick and choose etc. They're not meant to correspond with one another._  
_

Plus if this was an actual story, each update would be around 5,000-7,000 words and the chapters would actually flow together to form an overall plot. (I'll stop here since I'm starting to sound mean but it was frustrating - like, I've never faced that situation before.) Was going to update yesterday but I got really annoyed and discouraged so yeah...but I got a nice idea! So here it is.

**Summary: **A collection of _**unrelated**_ drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_Idol_

Menma was _pissed_. Why in the world did he ever agree to come along? Sure, the tickets were already paid and he _did_ have decent seats. The only problem was that...he really, really hated the group performing. They were horrible singers, their dancing was a mess and to top it all off, the members were all a bunch of idiots. Menma rolled his eyes as the arena darkened again. He heard fanboys whispering amongst themselves, trying to guess what song was next.

_Oh well_, Menma thought. _If this is how that bastard wants to spend his fucking birthday then..._ His thoughts were interrupted as the audience exploded in cheers. He glanced at Sasuke who seemed very excited all of a sudden. "It's them!" He practically screamed, waving his glowstick frantically in the air. Menma frowned, confused, "What the-"

He was cut off as the song began. He swiveled his head to watch. He was confused - they had been watching the same group for the past few hours, right? It wasn't like they were tons of girls all packed in one group even if they were named after a number. He found it hard to think as the music started and the fanboys around him - Sasuke included - began their fanchants. The lights blinded Menma and he blinked rapidly to adjust.

The entire crowd screamed, "52!"

At first the song seemed pretty average - jump worthy at best. Menma shrugged, waving his own glowstick to the beat of the song. The amount of energy the girls were putting in seemed to hype up the crowd even more. They were running around, playing tricks on each other and happily singing to the song.

"You're an Piggy fan today! She's from Team G!" The group sang. A girl ran across the stage, as though suffering from stage fright. The girls called out, "Inochan! Wait!" The girl responded,"Sorry~!" The song continued, Menma thoroughly confused. The girls got back into formation and it finally clicked; they were introducing each of the members. He laughed quietly, _How cute._ The song continued.

The girls jumped around as they moved on with the rest of the song. They prompted the crowd, "A!G!F!52! Say G!" The crowd seemed to move forward with a huge surge. "A!G!F!52! G~G~G~G!" The crowd jumped together, their glowsticks further distorting Menma's view of the stage. "How's our live show? It's good, right? We're so good, we make you say 'Oh my gosh!', right? How's our singing and dancing, it's good right? This is our AGF!" The lyrics seemed nonsensical but the crowd ate it up. Menma shook his head, unable to understand these people.

As the song came close to its end, Sasuke began to jump frantically. His voice somehow reached Menma's ears despite the music and cheers. "Listen! It's her, it's her part next!" Menma focused for Sasuke's sake, trying to pick out exactly _who_ he was talking about. A girl ran up, her long hair flying behind her. Menma glanced around - it wasn't just Sasuke who was excited, everyone seemed to suddenly perk up - which was amazing, considering he thought they had already reached their limit.

"You're a Sun~ny fan today! She's from Team G!" The girl's response stunned him. "I'll kill you." Her expression was so serious and then it changed dramatically as the other girls and the audience scolded her, as though it were a game, "Play nice!" She laughed as she faded back into the background. The girls danced and singed the last bit of their song. "We're running towards our dreams! Please continue to support Team G! It doesn't matter, we'll always be here! After all, everyone is a fan of Team G!"

The song ended and Menma found himself doing something completely out of character for him. He jumped up and yelled with the rest of the audience. "Damn right I'm a fan!"

* * *

**A/N: **AGF52 is a reference to ever-popular AKB48. Whereas AKB stands for Akihabara, the place where the group is based, AGF stands for 'Allied Girls Force', a nod to the Allied Shinobi Force in the current anime/manga. Feel free to listen to the song this scene is based off of, 'Team B Oshi' on YouTube.

Also - Piggy is Ino and Sunny is Hinata.


	9. War

**A/N:** Double Update since I didn't update yesterday.

**Summary: **A collection of _**unrelated**_ drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_War_

Sasuke and Menma went out for a few drinks with their squad. To think, they got a dream assignment, Japan - of all places. The land of the rising sun and geisha girls. The two friends really struck gold with this one, especially with the crazed and desperate Japanese girls that had no problems with getting acquainted with the foreign soldiers. "Look, all I'm saying is that if they want some, I'm willing to give it." Menma, Sasuke and the others were on their favorite topic - sex with the Japanese girls. Sasuke was obviously on the 'pro' side of things. Menma countered, "Yeah and what I'm saying is that if you knock one up, you gotta bring her home." His friend shrugged. "And? Girls from here are no trouble at all." Their friends agreed with Sasuke. The girls here were nothing like the girls back home.

The friends continued to drink, their light hearted conversation soon taking a darker turn as another group began giving Sasuke and Menma trouble.

"Fucking Japs thinking they still own the place." Muttered one, glaring darkly at Sasuke. The raven-haired man ignored the quip and resumed his talk with Menma and friends. "Fiery blondes against a quiet, black haired beauty? The choice is obvious, Menma." Menma relented and opened his mouth to speak when another insult was thrown their way.

"Shoulda dropped bombs on all of 'em, doin' the world a favor." Menma frowned and attempted to speak again. He was cut off, yet again, "Shoot, do it like Germany did. Purge 'em." The insults continued, obvious discomfort painted on Sasuke's face. "Too bad people be sayin' FDR did right by lettin' 'em out. I say keep 'em in, nip the Nips. Gun the Gooks...ain't that right, Jap?" That was obviously directed at Sasuke and by extension Menma.

Sasuke's black hair, pale skin and slanted eyes were a dead giveaway. "Oi, fuckass. We're from California!" The man looked confused. "I wasn't talking to you, blondy. I was talking to your Jap friend." Menma growled. "Guess what, redneck, I'm a 'Jap' too." The man looked stunned. Menma was blond, tanned skin and had blue eyes. "Don't fuck with me, cocksucker, no way in hell you be a Jap." He glanced at Sasuke, "Though I guess the yellow rubs off on you after a while, huh?"

Menma, Sasuke and the rest of their squad had had enough. Right as they were about throw a few, a girl beat them to the punch. Literally. "Get the fuck out of my bar!" She grabbed the offender and threw him out with astonishing strength. It left everyone else open-mouthed. "Hey, little miss-" She held up a knife in her hand, a gun in the other. The two weapons appeared out of nowhere. Her English held a hint of an accent, but was passable. "You wanna fuck around, go ahead, but I'll pop it in your mouth and splatter your brains."

The men ran out.

"Shit, babe, that's was hot." The girl laughed, all killing intent gone from her features. "Had to step in, after all, you _American dogs_ are a bunch of cowards." They looked stunned as she sauntered off, upstairs to resume what she was doing.

"Okay..." Began Sasuke. "I bet I can get at that faster than all of you." Menma laughed. "You're on."

* * *

**A/N: **Modern AUs are today's theme. So...yup.


	10. Summer

**A/N: **See the one at the end.

**Summary: **A collection of _**unrelated**_ drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_Summer  
_

Sasuke licked the delicate cotton candy of his fingers, Sakura eating what was left. They had eaten it at Hinata's insistence, after all, she _hated_ sweet things. He, on the other hand, harbored a sweet tooth and whatever he liked, Sakura liked too. Mind you, he didn't just like sweet foods, but girls too. Unfortunately, Hinata was anything but sweet - she was an arrogant, foul-mouthed bitch...but she was hot. Hotter than Sakura but Hinata was as bitter and sour as they come. Her attractiveness was her only redeeming quality - even if she was Menma's girl, she was incredibly pig-headed.

He shifted around in his seat. The night was hot, humid yet cold at the same time. He noticed Hinata constantly adjusting her jacket - either forgoing it all together or draping it across her legs because she _had_ to wear shorts. He loosened his grip on Sakura's shoulders. Sasuke felt his sweat beginning to stick to her skin. Sakura ignored him, she was busy fanning herself. Thank the heavens Sakura agreed to come, she disliked, almost hated Hinata. After all, years of being teased gave Sakura plenty of grudge material, if nothing else.

The movie had already started and the drive-in was packed and dimly lit but Sasuke couldn't bring himself to relax. _Where the fuck is Menma?_ Menma's absence agitated him and Hinata. Anger radiated off of her in waves and it made Sasuke and Sakura awkward and tense. It was a time bomb, ready to explode at the slightest provocation. The watch told him that Menma was running nearly an hour late.

When Menma finally showed up, all apologies and smiles, Hinata shook her head and flicked him off. Sasuke rolled his eyes and convinced Sakura to come outside, stating, "Don't wanna be here when they go at it, y'know?" She readily agreed and they exited the car, making a beeline for the installed seats way in the back, close to the concession stand.

When the movie (or rather, movies ended) Sasuke decided to walk Sakura home. It wasn't that far from the drive-in and Menma was with his car and he trusted Menma, to some degree.

After all, what could Menma _possibly_ do with his car that wasn't fixable?

Oh how wrong he was.

_"You had sex in my car?!"_

* * *

**A/N: **I'm going cold turkey tomorrow since I need to finish stuff, early update.


	11. Throne

**A/N: **I owe y'all stories for the 20th - 23rd. More shall come once I get out of school tomorrow. Maybe.

**Summary: **A collection of _**unrelated**_ drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_Throne  
_

Menma bowed before the Queen. Or the would-be Queen. She rested, tense as always, on the seat beside the throne. Her hair was in typical, southern style. The majority pinned up in a bun, with two curls draped on either side of her neck. Her gown was cut in a low v, making it easy for an arrow to find its mark in the exposed flesh. The fabric was rich, deep blue and embroidered in silver. It made her skin look nearly white - these colors made the Queen appear sickly and gaunt. She shifted, her pale eyes expressing disinterest.

"You may rise." Her tone was dull.

Menma did as he was told. His shining armor reflected the rays of light that peeked through the high windows of the hall. A shimmering white cloak billowed behind him as he rose. His blond hair and bright, blue eyes contrasting with the Queen's own. She was dark, plain, lifeless even while he shone like the sun on a summer's day. Finally, he spoke, "The King asks that you take refuge below ground, he voices concern for your life, my Lady." Hinata's eyes swiveled from side to side, ensuring that she was alone with Menma. Once satisfied, she sneered.

"The King is a fool; he views me as an object he may toy with whenever he pleases to." Hinata stood from her seat, her cheeks red from anger. Menma frowned slightly. "You should know after all - knowing him as long as you have..." She trailed off, her hands coming together as she pushed her fingers together, annoyed. "I beg of you, my Lady, the King cares for your-"

"He cares for nothing! Nothing!" She screamed at him, her voice rising in anger. She paced back and forth, coming back to herself and becoming quiet again. Silence followed as Menma watched the Queen, analyzing her, searching for an opportunity to voice his own opinion. Finally, Hinata stood stock-still, her blank face indicating that she was ready to receive further news from her husband. "Anything else?"

Menma swallowed then, slowly withdrawing from the way he came. "His Imperial Highness asks that upon his return, you greet him with a kiss upon his lips and sword." Hinata's face remained blank. "He also wishes for you to lick the blood of your traitorous sister off his blade." Hinata swallowed, the sound barely audible. Menma looked down at her hands - they were folded on top of another, wrinkles appearing on the front of the gown where she held the fabric. "If the King wishes for it, then it shall be so."

"My Lady, if I may, he sheds blood in your name. All of it is done to please you."

"You are mistaken, he does it for the glory." Hinata turned her head slightly, glaring at Menma. "And you? For what do you fight?" Menma, almost entirely in the shadows by now, replied quietly. "I am sworn to protect the King and the Queen. I fight your Imperial Majesties."

It was the closest he would ever get to a confession.

* * *

**A/N:** Based on 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series. I've watched the TV adaption of it and despite all the gore and sex, it is one of my favorite shows! So um, Sasuke is the King, Hinata is the Queen and Menma is the head of the Kingsguard in this. Yup. Umm...I haven't read the books though since its written in first perspective so...yeah? Haha. Okay. Done. More updates to come after 7PM PST.


	12. Piety

**A/N: **I've been tired lately.

**Summary: **A collection of _**unrelated**_ drabbles. Because Menma was strangely territorial and Hinata had better things...people to do.

**Pairings:** Menma x Hinata and Sasuke x Hinata

* * *

_Piety  
_

She kneeled before the altar. Half-whispered prayers left her lips, her head bowed and her hands clasped together. What she prayed for was shrouded in mystery. The young woman stood and left, cradling a swollen belly. HEr long hair seemed withered and brittle. As the weeks came to pass, she found herself coming closer and closer to despair.

A friend would come by and comfort her, amuse and anger her all at the same time with his tales of playing around with women. Their time would often be too short for Hinata and she would bid him goodbye, only to loose herself in the quiet, calm despair that plagued her. At first, she had been happy. Overjoyed even, at the prospect at bringing new life into the world. However, she became increasingly frightened when her dreams haunted her. She would dream of that happy night, her wedding night - how intoxicating it had been! Even now, her memory blurred, the hazy edges creeping into the shards of remembrance. The tangy taste of wine and something else, the imprint of shrouded figures surrounding her - no, that couldn't be right...she was alone with Menma that night. They had drank wine, its sweet taste slipping them into a dream of soft caresses and kisses. Hinata's brows furrowed as she delved deeper. Yet, she remembered - how it became corrupted, almost feral at a moment's notice. Then, the climax - the moment that haunted her; those red eyes and growls.

Her skin was marked with innumerable bruises and scratches the following morning yet she refused to believe it, after all, Menma was a good man.

As Hinata's attempted to recall what truly happened, she felt it. A contraction. Pain washed over her being and she clutched her abdomen, screaming. Soon, she was surrounded by those strange, shadowy figures. She could not find it in herself to scream - the horror of it as the memories came rushing back to her. She remembered what really happened that night, that-

Black came and went as Hinata blinked. Dark spots floated above her, the pristine white ceiling of her home making her dizzy. Menma sat beside her, his eyes downcast and dull. He seemed different, possessed even. Hinata tilted her head, feeling a weight by her side. Confused, she looked down and held back a scream.

* * *

**A/N:** Bleh. Rosemary's Baby anyone?


	13. Cigarettes

**A/N: **I've been tired lately.

* * *

_Cigarettes  
_

The smoke billowed and curled in the air. Menma let out a puff of smoke, the stench of tobacco lingering in the air. He was ditching with Sasuke. The tobacco relaxed him as he leaned against the wall. He took a long drag, watching for any sign of trouble. So far, they had yet to be found. This little hide away on the side of the school, hidden by the storage units and scraps of wood used by the theater department was perfect for a good smoke. Menma adjusted his coat, suddenly annoyed.

The two were violating dress coat. Menma in his coat, marking him as a typical gangster. A headband wrapped around his forehead, his shirt was unbuttoned and the sleeves of his coat and shirt were rolled up to his elbows. Sasuke's tie was tied lazily, the first few buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned and his shirt wasn't entirely tucked in. On any other person, the clothing would look be shabby, however on Menma and Sasuke, it made them handsome and menacing at the same time.

"Fuck's your problem?" Sasuke breathed in, the taste of tobacco lingering on his tongue. Menma eyed his best friend out of the corner of his eye. "Nothing, asshole." His friend laughed in response, "Don't be such a bitch about it, you cunt." It was an ongoing joke between the two - Sasuke was a prissy, ego-centric playboy whom relied on his looks, charms and money. Meanwhile, Menma was pretty like a girl and just as confusing and cutthroat as one too - a real bitch. Right as Menma was about to respond, a crash was heard.Their attention was captured and the two slipped out of their hiding spot.

"Menma! Where are you?" Hinata was running around, angry. "Get your ass out here and get back to fucking class! I ain't shitting you this time! I will fucking beat your ass!" Sasuke laughed and Menma glared at him. "Your girlfriend is scary." His friend's face twitched. "I'd never be able to handle a bi-" A dark aura radiated from behind him, indicating Hinata's presence. Her fist collided with the top of his head, "You wanna say that to my face?!"

Now it was Menma's turn to laugh as he watched Hinata pummel his best friend. As long as she was distracted with Sasuke, he wasn't worried about getting in trouble. That is, until Hinata turned to face him, "and you!" She stomped over to him, clutching onto the front of his shirt. "Hey I-" She smashed her lips onto his and the two began occupied. He briefly heard Sasuke making a snide comment about the two but he ignored him. He backed Hinata into the wall, placing his free hand on one side of her head. Menma lowered his mouth to whisper in her ear, "So what were you mad about, again?"

It worked yet Hinata's anger did not dissapate completely as she realized what he was holding in his other hand.

"You took my fucking cigarettes again!"


	14. Bones

**A/N: **Soooo...I'm starting an arc soon, called Obsession soon. Stay tuned.

* * *

_Bones  
_

Gray clouds loomed in the sky above, covering up the sun as the rain fell down. Two figures stood before a gravestone, newly implemented in the cemetery. Dozens of flower arrangements stood beside it. A figure carved of stone stood above the marker. It was an angel, a reaper, with its wings spread out behind it. Dark and forbidding, it held a scythe in its hands though its face was tilted, a gentle look carved upon the angel's face. The angel seemed weighed down by its responsibility, the burden of death evident in its features. The scythe lay over the angel's shoulders, barely evident tears evident on the angel's face as though weeping for the loss of life. But, the creature was made of stone and it could not convey the emotions that threatened to overcome Menma.

Despair. Sadness. Loss. Hurt.

Anger.

His friend, Sasuke, stood beside him, not saying a word. Menma's fists were clenched, angry tears spilling out of his eyes and running down his cheeks. His eyes, always so blue and gentle were now dark, forbidding and gave off a red tinge. A moment of insanity consumed him as he laughed through his tears. Sasuke whipped his head around to stare at his friend.

Insane laughter spilled from his friend's mouth. "They'll die. I'll kill them. I'll kill them all...for what they did." Hatred had finally destroyed him.


	15. Clock I

**A/N: **Should I even include these anymore? I don't know...anyway - omg! 20 follows! Nice. Yay!

Okay so I'll be having two story arcs - _Obsession_ and _Clock_.

* * *

_Clock  
_

He had found his new target. It was a grand, wealthy, luxurious home. It was different from the others. He could see that simply from the glare he had received from the businessman that happened to own said home. The aforementioned owner was also on a trip. In the meantime, Sasuke could easily use the home. It would only take a few minutes to slip in and out - it was a crucial part of his lifestyle. He swept in, slowly opening each of the doors and checking inside. Once content that no one was home, he settled in.

As Sasuke took in his new surroundings, he became fascinated with the pictures that decorated the walls. They were all of the same woman, in various poses and states of undress. He tilted his head as his eyes scanned over the images. The woman was beautiful. Pale skin, wide, innocent eyes and long, dark hair. Sasuke continued to observe the various photographs, squinting and moving closer to the frames. There was a look in the woman's eyes spoke volumes to him. She seemed tired and broken, as though she had no reason to continue to live. He shrugged and began his ritual. He walked over to his bag which held his meager belongings and looked for his camera.

It was a small, cheap digital camera. The resolution wasn't the best and it was beat up. He didn't mind. Sasuke posed, leaning against the wall and held the camera at arm's length. Without a word, he snapped the picture. He made his way around the room while taking pictures of himself. It was an odd quirk he had picked up. Once done with that small task, he poked around the kitchen and made a meal for himself. He ate quickly, his eyes glued on the windows - waiting for the return of the owners.

Night fell and Sasuke prepared to bathe and sleep. The phone rang. His black eyes stared at the phone as it ringed. Soon, it went to voicemail. "Look, I'm sorry for what I did. Alright? I'll be good, I promise. Please. Just pick up the phone. Pick up the phone...pick up the damn phone! You're driving me crazy! Tch!" The machine beeped, indicating that the call was over. Thoughts flooded Sasuke's mind, briefly wondering what _that_ was about. Putting the call behind him, he went to bathe.

* * *

While preparing the bath, Sasuke had found an interesting book. It contained pictures of the beautiful woman. He perused it, unsure at first. Hesitant fingers turned each page, he became more and more fascinated. The beautiful woman wasn't the only subject in the book. There were a few others. However, the main reason it piqued his interest was the way the woman were posed and dressed. They were entirely nude and posed in suggestive positions. It excited him. As he lay down that night, he continued to stare at the images in the book. Once he lost himself entirely, grunts and soft moans escaped from his lips. It was only interrupted when he heard the door to the room he was occupying open.

He sat upright, flushed and embarrassed. A woman stood in the doorway, the light peeking through behind her. It was _her._ The girl in the photographs. She retreated quietly, sliding the door shut. Sasuke sat up and quickly got dressed, ashamed at being caught. He maid his way clumsily out into the main living room, adjacent to the bedroom he was previously in. The phone was ringing again. The woman was staring at it. He wondered why she didn't pick up. He bowed in a show of thanks and shuffled away.

"Hinata, are you still mad at me? I already apologized! I'm going to go crazy if you keep acting like this! Pick up! Pick the damn phone, I know you're there, I'll-" The message was cut off as the woman picked up the phone. Sasuke felt trapped, watching her. It dawned upon him that she had a huge bruise on the side of her face. It covered a side of her forehead, her eye and the upper portion of her cheek. He turned to go, not wanting to stay any longer. Right as he was about to go, the woman screamed and slammed the phone down the receiver. They made eye contact when Sasuke looked back. There was a small hint of a spark in her eyes.

He blinked and it was gone. He left, stuck in quiet contemplation while he stood at the porch. Sasuke sighed and turned, heading back inside the home. He heard sobbing echoing throughout the home. Hinata, as he know knew her, was sobbing in the bathtub, clutching her face. There was so much sorrow in this house, it was suffocating. Sasuke went to Hinata's closet, already knowing the layout of the house. He searched through the hangers, finally choosing a simple outfit. It was a two piece blouse and skirt with a matching cardigan. The blouse had a print of roses on it and vines on it, in an interesting color - green. The skirt was long, ankle-length he guessed. A white cardigan completed the look. After rummaging for her underclothes, Sasuke laid them out in the hallway where the bathroom was located. He retreated quietly, giving the woman privacy.

Hinata wrapped herself in a towel, dimly aware of the bruises that marked her face and body when she came upon the set of clothes. She dropped her towel and began to dress, right then and there. She loved this outfit, with its design and comfort. She had grown tired of Menma's preferred color - black. The entire house was done to Menma's liking. It had white, clean walls. The doors - traditional, because he liked it that way - were paper screens, the wood frames were made of cherry and were stained black. Orange was splashed here and there to give the house a semblance of life. She hated it.

Once comfortable, she seated herself on the couch. A slow tune filled the house, in a language that even she understood, and made her relaxed. Soon, her attention was captivated by a golf ball rolling her way. She rolled it back, presumably to the other occupant of the home. It was a quiet, shy game. Neither Hinata or Sasuke showing their faces to one another. It continued like this for another half hour. It was Hinata's turn once more and she again pushed the golf ball. It was stopped.

Hinata froze as she turned to face her husband. He glared at her, his blue eyes narrowed in anger. "You bitch. Do you have any idea wwhat I do for you?" He approached her, coming closer to Hinata's current position on the couch. She blinked in response. "I had to end my trip early because of you. You always drive me crazy like this, you know that?" It was then that Menma realized what his wife was wearing. "How many times have I told you? I hate it when you wear that! I've told you never to wear that!" He came at her and Hinata turned away, not meeting her gaze. He was harsh and rough, clawing at her neck and her clothes, tearing the precious fabric. "For once, just stay still and let me do what I want..."

Hinata refused to look at him, refused to respond. It infuriated Menma and he raised his hand to strike her when a loud crack resounded through the house. He whipped around, looking for the source. There was someone outside.

* * *

**A/N:** So that's part one of _Clock_.


	16. Obsession I

**A/N:** 20 follows~ I feel so cool. Also - I've noticed that a lot of people who are visiting, following, favoriting are from Mexico~ That's cool, why? 'Cause my family is from Oaxaca but we live in the US. ^^

* * *

_Obsession I_

He posed and smiled, taking the picture like a pro. A red-haired girl was standing beside him, smiling. Menma was wearing a white tailored suit, the girl is a slim fitting black dress. The cameras clicked and the flash went off, briefly blinding the two. They readjusted their positions, angling their faces better at the camera. Another click and flash. The photographer waved them off the set. "Good job everyone!" They were answered with the same statement, Menma and the girl bowing, "Good job everyone!" They quickly went off, heading for the rest area.

Menma turned to the girl, suddenly thankful for her presence. "Thanks Karin, you helped out a lot." The red head smiled, "No, thanks Menma – I'm sure I'll get plenty of jobs after this!" They shared a hearty laugh between good friends before they were interrupted by Sasuke, Menma's manager. "Don't let your ego get to your head, idiot." A wolfish grin spread across his features as he replied to Sasuke, "I'm more worried about you, bastard. After all, scouts keep trying to get your attention."

His long time friend yawned, "Looking pretty comes naturally, these kinds of gigs are for the ones that need Photoshop." Karin remained unaffected. her cousin, Menma, had warned her of how grumpy Sasuke was. Apaprently, her darling cousin couldn't take his own advice as he turned an ugly shade of purple. It was then that Sakura came running it. "I've brought everyone lunch!" She declared excitedly, seemingly out of breath.

Karin smiled happily at the rosette, grateful, and was preparing to take a seat when her collapsible chair broke and took her down with it. A shriek escaped her lips and she was taken away by Sasuke to be escorted to her own manager. Sakura sighed, quickly going to Menma's side. "Are you alright?" Menma nodded and assured her everything was alright. He shoved her off, disgusted. "Excuse me..." He pushed past her. Sakura frowned but shrugged it off. She sat down and began eating her own lunch.

Meanwhile, Menma was apologizing to Karin. He hugged her and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. He paused and whispered something to her. The red head brightened considerably and nodded, laughed. Sakura rolled her eyes. Eventually, Sasuke and Menma made their way back to their proper resting area. Once they were done with lunch, they left and hurried to their next schedule. As they were descending down the steps, Sasuke paused. "What's wrong?" Sakura inquired. With a tilt of his head, he indicated a girl standing outside the circle of press that surrounded Menma as he climbed into his van.

"Her. Persistent, isn't she? How long has it been...three years, right?" Sasuke shook his head. "Pathetic." He continued on without her. Sakura glanced over at the girl. She had long, thick black hair. The light gave it a blue sheen. She wore a jean jacket over a white shirt with shorts. On her legs were knee-high boots. Upon making eye contact, the girl smirked at Sakura. A dark aura seemed to radiate off of her. Sakura broke eye contact first, the hair on the back of her neck prickling.

* * *

**A/N:** And that is the first chapter of _Obsession_. More info - these two arcs will span over three chapters so to speak, so yes, for once it is linked. They will appropriately marked. _Clock_ is SH and _Obsession_ is MH.


	17. Clock II

_Clock II  
_

_Hinata refused to look at him, refused to respond. It infuriated Menma and he raised his hand to strike her when a loud crack resounded through the house. He whipped around, looking for the source. There was someone outside._

Menma growled, infuriated. He tossed Hinata aside and stood for the glass sliding door. "Who's there?" He demanded as he stepped out onto the grass. Menma spotted Sasuke who regarded him passively. The blond frowned and took out his cellphone, quickly dialing for the police. He placed it at his ear, briefly taking his eyes away from Sasuke. "Hello? Police? I need to report a-" Sasuke hit him with a golf ball. Menma clutched his stomach, yelling out in pain. Again, another golf ball, this time hitting his knee. Menma fell to the floor.

Again and again Sasuke hit him with golf balls. Hinata watched quietly from the doorway. She felt no pity for the man laying before her, only hate. Finally, Sasuke stopped his assault once he hit Menma in the head. Quietly, he retrieved a golf ball, cleaned it of the blood, and walked away. Hinata hesitated for a moment before following Sasuke out the door.

* * *

They drove to another neighborhood, far from Hinata's home. It was a collection of high rise apartments resembling sky scrapers. Sasuke led the way and soon, Hinata found herself inside one of its apartments. She watched Sasuke quietly as he made his way to the answering machine. With the press of a button, an extended absence greeting made their ears. "Hello! I'm in America right now for a photoshoot, if you need to contact me..." The voice grew dim as Hinata explored the apartment. She opened each of the doors, peering in and checking to see if they were truly alone. Once satisfied, she began to take in her surroundings.

An artist lived here. There were photographs strung up all around the room, portraits framed on the walls. She looked closer and they were all signed with the same name. _Sai._ Everywhere she looked, she couldn't escape that name. As she turned the corner, determined to calm her beating heart, her eyes came upon a certain portrait. It was of her, sitting and hugging her knees to her chest. Her long hair was draped to one side and her head was tilted, staring at the viewer. (At the time, she had been staring at the camera.) However, that is was not what irritated her. It was that she was entirely naked. Hinata forced herself to look away and find Sasuke.

To her surprise, the young man had already made himself at home. He was dozing off on the bed. Hinata took one fleeting glance at the living room and turned on her heel. She took the frame off the wall and carefully removed the picture held within. Anger overtook her and with determined, yet shaking, fingers, she folded it over, obscuring her face completely.

* * *

The next morning, Sasuke awoke to make breakfast for himself and his new charge. He walked into the living room, moving past it to the adjoining kitchen. He blinked and walked back. The portrait of the woman had changed. It had been folded and cut into even squares and rearranged to resemble a sliding puzzle. Shrugging his shoulders, he continued into the kitchen, a flood of understanding overtaking him. He quietly made breakfast, seated himself and waited for the day to begin.

Unknown to him, he and his new companion would spend only a short time together.


	18. Obsession II

_Obsession II  
_

Sakura pulled up to Menma's apartment. She checked her watch. It was five in the morning. Sighing, her warm breath visible in the cold air, she walked towards the elevator. She hugged herself, cold. Sakura felt as though she was being watched and ran to the elevator, anxious for the doors to open and take her up to Menma's floor. Finally, a ding sounded and she entered the elevator, pushing multiple times for Menma's floor. Sakura became lost in her thoughts, her body going on automatic and soon, she found herself in front of Menma's door. She took in a deep breath and let herself in.

She rolled her eyes. There were empty beer cans abandoned on the coffee table. Menma was passed out on the couch. Sakura carefully approached and adjusted his position. She withdrew quickly when she heard Sasuke come in. "Wake up! You bastard, wake up!" Menma sat up, startled. He rubbed his eyes with his hands and turned to Sasuke, "What the-"

"Look!", shouted Sasuke as he slammed a newspaper in Menma's face. He blinked and smoothed out the paper. In big, bolded letters it read, "Actress K in mysterious car accident!" Below the headline and accompanying story was a blurred out picture of Karin. He continued to read, angered. Meanwhile, Sasuke had turned on the TV. He quickly flipped through the channels until he settled he found what he was looking for. A grim reporter on I!News. "We have received permission from Actress K's agency to release the full details concerning her accident. Earlier this morning, up and coming actress and model, Karin, was found in a car crash. Due to the injuries sustained by the actress, her current promotional activities will be postponed. For those that don't know, Karin was the rumored girlfriend of idol, Menma Namikaze, better known by his stage name, Kage." The entertainment news anchor finally stopped, concentrating. "This just in! Minato Namikaze, head of _Hot Mess Records_, is now holding a press conference!" The screen changed, it now showed a brightly lit room with a stage. There was a podium and mike. Menma saw his father at the podium, already answering questions.

"Ms. Uzumaki's car crash is currently under investigation. We have reached out to the Japanese Police Force. They will be receiving our full cooperation." He paused. "Ms. Uzumaki is currently hospitalized. Her current CF deals will be canceled to allow adequate time for her to recover. Furthermore, any acting contract will be put on hold." Minato cleared his throat and continued, "Now, I would like to address the rumors plaguing our resident idol, Kage. Contrary to popular belief, Karin was and is not dating Kage. They are cousins on his mother's side. I would ask that the public give the Uzumaki family and by extension, the Namikaze family time and space to overcome this tragedy. Thank you." His father walked off stage. Menma seemed more shaken up than before, his hands were trembling. Even Sakura seemed taken a back, she never even knew that Karin was related to Menma!

Sasuke coughed and slipped a note in Menma's hand. "There's this too..." A crude arrangement of magazine and newspaper cutouts spelled out the offending message. _I love you. You are mine._ Menma crushed it in his hand.

* * *

Shisui and Obito were on a new case. They were to investigate the attempted murder of Karin Uzumaki. At least, that was what her agency thought it was. However, Obito hated recovering evidence so he forced to Shisui to do it instead. Grumbling, the younger Uchiha walked into the tow yard. After acquiring some help and flashing a warrant, he was finally escorted to the car. He looked through it, checking for anything that they might have missed. He squinted, a flash of color catching his eyes. He reached down, under the seat and found it - a cellphone. He examined it - the screen was cracked but, it was still usable. He checked the most recent call and called the first number he saw.

It was labeled as cousin. The ringing seemed to go on forever. On the other end, Menma's phone began to ring. The caller id told him it was Karin. He frowned and looked at Sakura. She extended her hand and Menma gave up the phone. She answered with a timid, "Hello?"

* * *

Shisui was sitting across from Sakura in Menma's apartment. After moving on from the initial shock of seeing Sakura, his cousin's on and off girlfriend, they moved on to talk about the case. "Karin was wonderful...dating rumors aside, she and Menma were close. They are cousins after all." Shisui nodded, scribbling away in his notepad. "How's Menma?" Sakura flicked her eyes upward and Shisui followed her line of sight. He managed to caught sight of a hand pulling a curtain shut, withdrawing from the world. "I see." He shifted, looking directly at Sakura. "If you know anything...anything at all, it might help us." Sakura swallowed. "I was afraid of this...luckily, your cousin managed to bring everything over before rushing over to the company building to help smooth things over."

Her hand went into her purse and she produced a number of crudely made notes. "Menma has been receiving these notes for the past three years. Typically after his 'girlfriends' are in accidents." Sakura swallowed, suddenly fearful. "And there's these too..." She pulled out photographs and laid her finger on the subject of each photo. "Her. She's been stalking Menma throughout that entire time...I think I shouldn't leave her like that anymore." She paused, her eyes downcast. "Does Sasuke know about her?" Sakura nodded. "He points her out at nearly every event." A chuckled escaped her lips. "We made a game of it at first, trying to see which one of us could find her first..." She trailed off. "I never knew it would be this serious..."

Shisui nodded. "Do you-"

"Hyuga. Hinata Hyuga."


	19. Clock III

_Clock III_

They slipped into a daily routine. They would paste flyers on the door knobs and after a period of time, would come to collect. If the flyer was removed, then they would move onto the next house or neighborhood. If the flyer was still there, then they would move in. Sasuke would pick the lock and check the answering machine and Hinata would open all the doors to see if anyone was inside. After, they would cook, shower, clean and sleep. It had been a month or so now and they had grown complacent. Currently, they were in a run down apartment. Once they crossed the threshold, a stench reached their noses. They exchanged glances and moved forward, looking left and right. A small door, tucked away on the side of the hall seemed to hold the culprit. Hinata rushed forward to open the door. Sasuke held onto her arm and shook his head.

She relented, stepping back. Sasuke grabbed the door knob and turned it, peering inside the small room. He recolied at the sight. There was a cat, huddled against its owner. The cat was caked in blood and meowed helplessly. A pool of black blood was on the floor - Sasuke quickly shut the door and moved past Hinata, making his way to the door. Hinata frowned at him and pulled him back, she slapped him across the face, scolding him with her eyes. The pale, white orbs glared at him with accusation. She inclined her head at the room, urging him to take action. Sasuke sighed and they returned. He paused before teh answering machine and pressed the button. There was no hint of possible contact made. There was a slip of paper and a number scrawled. The two exchanged looks and called the number, the name above it deeming it the son of the corpse. They were met with voicemail, the son's family was on vacation, and Sasuke hung up. Afterward, they made their way back to the room. Hinata took charge, pulling the man so that he faced the ceiling instead of the floor. Sasuke picked up the cat, scratching it underneath its throat. It purred in content.

* * *

The cat was clean, its shimmering, white fur now visible. The bath was still running in an attempt to wash away all the blood from the cat and the body. They had carefully wrapped the deceased in a shroud of paper. Each piece was recovered from grocery bags and the ties from sheets of linen. Once down, Sasuke went out in search of wood and Hinata was left alone to scrub the floor. It was disgusting. She found a bristle brush and bleach. The stain was deep in the floor and no matter how hard she scrubbed, it refused to come off. She gritted her teeth, taking note of how dry her hands were becoming due to exposure to bleach. It was only when Sasuke had returned the next, did Hinata finally give up.

The two continued their makeshift burial. A coffin was built and the man was laid inside. Hinata collected a manner of flowers from outside and laid it inside the coffin with man, hoping to cover the atrocious smell. When night fell, the two slipped out and buried the man out front, by a tree.

* * *

As they prepared to take their leave, a man and his wife came to the door of the apartment. "Father? Father?" A whispered conversation and a jiggling of keys. Hinata and Sasuke exchanged looks; they were trapped. Soon, the would-be visitors came in and upon seeing Hinata and Sasuke, they assaulted them with questions. The wife, a robust woman, wrinkled her nose. She made her way to the door where Hinata and Sasuke had found the corpse. Sasuke's eyes widened as Hinata ran to stop the woman. The woman reacted violently, trying to push Hinata away. Hinata shook her head repeatedly but the husband came to push her away. Hinata fell and Sasuke ran forward to craddle his companion. The screaming couple was drowned out by Sasuke's sobs as he hugged Hinata, a blank look appearing in her eyes. On her cheek, a bruise began to blossom.

* * *

The police came and went. Hinata and Sasuke never said a word, yet, somehow they found Hinata's husband and Menma came to drag Hinata away. The only thing that Sasuke had said was the area where they could find the coffin. A brief question had broken the silence for a moment, "And what of the cat?" Sasuke's question was met with a hard blow to the head and he kept his silence then.

Shortly after that, Hinata heard that Sasuke would be in prison for a few months. He had assaulted a police officer. She scoffed at that and since her 'release' had refused Menma multiple times. Months came to pass and Menma grew angrier and angrier. She even slapped him across the face - but his patience had limits and soon she found herself broken and bleeding one night. She blinked and turned over, away from Menma...the ticking of the clock in the hall kept her awake. Her eyebrows came together in confusion. The clock was broken.

Quietly, she slipped out of the bed. Her barefoot made no sound as she walked into the living room. Her face was covered in bruises, much like how it was the first time she had met Sasuke. Out the corner of her eye, she saw movement. Hinata frowned and walked once more, towards the huge mirror that lay at the end of the hall. The light was on and there - she saw him. Sasuke, reflected on the glass was standing behind her, a ghost. She turned to meet him, smiling when she came face first with Menma. His blue eyes were furious, the scars on his cheeks, resembling whiskers, were darker. "What do you think you're _doing?_" His voice quivered dangerously, rage bubbling up. Hinata looked past him at Sasuke. "I love you."

Menma turned right, then left and hugged her out of disbelief. Hinata remained stock still in his embrace, never breaking eye-contact with Sasuke. Sasuke reached out to her, a brief smiled played on his lips, and their hands met.

* * *

**A/N:** This is _heavily_ based on the Korean movie, 3-Iron. It was so hard to write this! Do you know why? keke. ^^


	20. Wife

**A/N: **Obsession III is on hold since it got deleted and urgh, I'm so mad and I haven't wanted to write for a very long time. So, hopefully, after this, _Geisha of Amegakure_ will be updated along with _Bind, Murcielago_. See you all later.**  
**

Oh and I am on a total mecha-induced happy fit. I've rewatched Gundam Wing and Evangelion. So, another AU is here.

* * *

_Wife_

It was dark inside of Menma's room, a faint constant clicking could be heard. A bright white light stood out against the darkness, as though it was attempting to engulf the room. There was a knocking on the door. "Menma. Dinner's ready." He didn't bother to answer and the clicking resumed.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

"Menma?"

Seven.

Six.

A sigh was heard.

Five.

Four.

Footsteps.

Three.

Two.

One.

Menma got up from his hunched position and made his way to his door. He opened the door slightly, reaching around and grabbing his plate of food. It disappeared into his room and he consumed it quickly and placed the empty dishes and glass outside his room. He scurried back to his chair and the clicking resumed.

The glare caused by his computer monitors hurt his eyes. He tapped his fingers on a corner of the keyboard, waiting as the webpage loaded. He swore inside his mind, _Damn it._ Small dots circled the center of one of the screens. Around and around it went as the website redirected him to the proper page.

_Finally. _He thought, relief flooding through him.

He clicked on to the thread and quickly posted a reply after scanning through the day's posts. His other friend were online - well, if you could call that particular man, a 'friend'.

_Monstar1010: The perfect waifu would be a total sub._

_Bishounen0723: A dom would be better._

_Monstar1010: _**This post has been edited to reflect our website's code of conduct.**

_Monstar1010: F-ing mods. You're totally whipped._

_Bishounen0723: BDSM sounds hot rn._

_Monstar1010: Freak._

_Bishounen0723: Dom in RL. Sub in bed. Or reversal._

_Monstar1010: STFU. You're cray._

Menma rolled his eyes, he never would admit that his waifu was designed on the same principle that Sasuke was currently advocating. It was just...so...stupid! All of it! It didn't even matter that he designed an entire computer program meant to stimulate her responses and that he programmed a variety of wips and who knows what detailing _everything_ about her.

A window popped up on his screen.

_Monstar1010: gtg. Waifu calling._

He logged off the website and clicked the other window. The program was a core part of his computer - it was scheduled to interact with him at certain points in time. He clicked the window and a sadistic laugh escaped his lips. After making sure his headphones were plugged in and his door was locked, he began.

His breath quickened steadily.

Menma shivered, suddenly relieved.

"Hinata."

* * *

**A/N:** So, this is Menma re-imagined in our modern day world as an otaku. Not really doing anything particularly dangerous/cruel, but still capable of it - as evidenced by his creation of a program meant to simulate an actual human being. The rest of his otaku life is up to the rest of you. Have fun.


	21. Angel

**A/N: **It's 1:45Am as I write this... Um. Warning for language, but hey, these kids swear all the time.

* * *

_Angel_

"Remember Menma, just aim and fire at the target. It will become natural to you and you'll be able to use it in real battle."

There was no response. Inside of the cockpit, Menma stared at the simulation, mindlessly repeating what was said to him. "Aim and fire at target." He adjusted his grip on the controls. "Aim and fire at the target." Again. "Aim and fire at the target." Again.

On the other end of the room, Tsunade watched quietly. Shizune, Kotetsu and Izumo were overseeing the simulation as well. "My lady, his synch rate is dropping." There was a series of beeps and shrills coming from the machinery before them. "Heart rate is accelerating." Warning alarms began to sound in the control room. "Breath rate decreasing, major complications arising. Permission to terminate simulation, my lady?" Right as Tsunade was about to give the order, Commander Madara broke his silence. "The boy will stabilize."

"But sir-!"

"He _will_ stabilize."

Suddenly, the monitors flat lined and for a brief moment, a long, steady beep filled the volume. Then, as though through some miracle from God, the whirring of machines started again. "Izumo, status report on the pilot!"

"My lady, it is just as the Commander said...he's...perfectly fine..."

"What?!"

There was a choked gasp on Kotetsu's side of the room. Tsunade, suddenly alarmed, demanded angrily, "I need further details!" Kotetsu's response stunned them all in silence with the exception of Madara. "Synch rate is 74.6% and rising, my lady."

It was Shizune that broke the silence.

"But...that's...impossible..."

* * *

Menma was walking home, bleary eyed from the day's simulation. He hardly remembered a thing about it. Just the distinct smell of iron. At the moment, he was annoyed - his fingernails were caked with dirt, a reddish-brown hued dirt that puzzled Menma to no end. He wasn't the type to avoid proper hygiene. His nostrils flared briefly, the stench of iron still clinging to his skin. A growl escaped his lips - Hinata was coming over later and he was completely and utterly the opposite of presentable at the moment.

He would have to take another bath once he was home.

* * *

"Of the nine pilots we've selected, the Eight is the only one prepared to go into battle after undergoing further training." The room was dark, an eerie red light flooding it as shadows remained complacent in their corners. There was a round table in the center, ten figures sitting around it. "The First is also combat ready.", chimed in another voice. There was a sudden cacophony of sound as the usual argument flared up.

"The First and the Unit 01 refuse to synchronize properly. There is no balance in their relation - either the First relinquishes control and we have a Berserker or Unit 01 refuses to...obey our commands _along side its pilot_ and executes its own plan of action."

The usual counterargument followed.

"If we only deploy the Eight, we will have wasted finances and resources. The Eight and his, unconventional, strategies will lead to greater causalities that we can hope to accommodate." An uproar was heard.

"_Greater causalities that we can hope to accommodate?_ This is no longer about what is right for the pilots, that very way thinking leads to dangerous thinking - such as acceptable loss. Civilian safety should be our first priority, above all - that is why this project began." The room quieted as the words sunk in.

One of the ten cleared his throat. "We have lost sight of our original goal, ladies and gentleman." A pause. "To create a world of peace - to end conflict _with_ conflict. The Ninth Pilot shows clear promise, he only needs further encouragement." The speaker cleared his throat. "We will begin the preliminary stages of the Eye of the Moon Plan. Meeting adjourned."

The room darkened.

* * *

Hinata was sitting across Menma. They had the house to themselves ever since Menma's parents had evacuated. Of his close companions, only Sasuke and Sakura remained. Sakura was part of KAGE - she was Menma's superior officer and was the head of a department within KAGE that answered to Tsunade. Sasuke stayed, his reasoning as dimwitted as usual, "Maybe once you pop off, then Hinata will sleep with me."

Menma had punched him for saying that.

Hinata...Hinata stayed because of him so that she could, "Beat some sense into your dickless ass when you pussy out on missions."

Speaking of which, she was currently in his apartment. This was typical - sometimes he'd have Sasuke or Sakura over (more often then not, it was Sakura) and they would all talk and joke. However, today it was just Hinata and him. _Alone_. During dinner. Sure, they fooled around but it was rare that he saw her and talked to her when they were out of bed. A tumultuous relationship, fueled by what he suspected as lust - and only lust, on Hinata's end - and casual affection. Menma liked her well enough; she was a total babe, after all, and she could stand her own in a fight. It was then that he realized that Hinata was tense, distant even. He glanced over at his dining companion. She remained silent - as was her habit when eating - and picked at her food. His eyebrows scrunched together, meeting at the middle and he looked down, suddenly aware of the problem. "Oh, fuck, sorry. Forgot."

Menma had served her pork ramen with extra bamboo shoots.

Which wouldn't be a problem normally.

Except that Hinata was _vegetarian_.

Quickly, Menma grabbed the offending bowl of ramen out of Hinata's immediate vicinity and poured the broth down the drain and threw the offending ingredients - God, he was so _stupid!_ How could he have forgotten something as important as that?! - and began to make Hinata something else to eat. He felt a hand on his shoulder, right as he was about to take out additional ingredients from the pantry.

"I'm not hungry." She deadpanned. Now _that _was out of character. "After all, a shit for brains wouldn't remember anything. I pity you." _Ah, there was the normal, rough and tumble Hinata he knew._ The one he _admired_. He turned, leaning back on the counter, arms crossed and a smirk on his face. "Shit for brains? You have got to be fucking me, that's-" She cut him off. "I _am_ fucking you. Your idiocy is rubbing off on me." Menma growled, exposing his teeth as he clicked his jaw. Hinata was unimpressed. "By the way, we're ending it. Here. Now."

She whirled on her heel and walked out of his apartment. He was stunned for a few seconds. Once he came to his senses, Menma ran out the door. "Hinata!"

She was gone.

* * *

"Did you tell him?"

"Yes."

"How did he react?"

An aggravated sigh was heard and a soft chuckled followed.

"How the fuck do you think?!"

"I-"

"Just shut up."

Silence.

* * *

Menma was irritable. He hadn't gotten any sleep last night. The sheets had pooled around his legs and his pillow had ended up under his back. He had stared at the ceiling, his hand occasionally moving to change the song he was listening to on his old tape player and recorder. Considering all that happened last night, it was understandable - to him anyway - why he felt so much rage. His mood wasn't improved at all when he was in to KAGE HQ to handle an Angel attack.

An Angel.

A fucking Angel just _had_ to appear out of wherever the fuck they came from and wreck destruction to Konoha. What was the point anyway? No one was even fucking living here anymore! They were all in Ame, doing who knows what.

His train of thought continued like this for a while, not even registering what was going around him until he was confronted with the Angel.

"Menma? Menma, come in. Come in, Menma."

A flurry of thoughts overcame him. _How is this possible? What's happening? I don't understand...I don't understand! This is, this is insane!_

"Menma, target is in sight, why aren't you doing anything? Menma?" He was battling another Unit. At least, it _looked_ like a Unit. It had armor plating, was humanoid in form and had a set of eyes. It's armor was blue, black and red. It was attacking. It was attacking him. He barely registered Tsunade's voice, yelling something akin to, "What is _that _doing here?!" Menma blinked. They knew. KAGE knew that this...thing existed. He grew distracted, observing it. It looked like...it looked like _his_ Unit. It wasn't until the offending piece of bio-machinery grabbed his, no, his Unit's arm, did he react. He say it, on the frames above the shoulders - Unit 00.

_"You're uncle is the head of KAGE?"_

_"Yeah, sort of. Lady Tsunade is in charge of the KAGE base here but...my uncle is part of KAGE's parent organization."_

_"Parent organization?"_

_"What? You think KAGE is the end of it? It's only the beginning. My brother is on it, called the Akatsuki or something stupid shit like that. Hell, they even have a Unit for me, back when they thought I was going to be the Ninth Child."_

_"You're shitting me!"_

_"It's prolly all scrap metal now - Unit 00, they called it, once they found you."_

_"Bullshit!"_

_"Yeah. Bullshit. Bullshit you ate right up!"_

He was snapped out of his thoughts. "You're lying. This, this, this isn't _real." _His emotions began to go haywire, the synch between him and Unit 09 growing unstable. On the other end of the line, the command center was beginning to panic. "Disable the power! Disable it now!" Tsunade all but screamed at the officers. "No one is piloting Unit 00, my Lady! It's moving on its own!"_  
_

"Menma, the Angel has to be taken down, now!" Unit 09 began to bang its head on the walls, the entire building shook. "That isn't a fucking Angel!" He roared. "Stop calling it that! That's a fucking BIJUU Unit!" Menma was holding tightly on the controls, his blood boiling in rage as he began to beat the Unit repeatedly. _This isn't real, you're not real. This is a nightmare, I'll wake up and-_

"This isn't a nightmare, Menma."

"You're- You're not-!" His head ached, he hung it, taking in deep breaths. "Sasuke-" She smiled at him then. "You killed him. He was the one piloting." Menma spared a glance at the BIJUU Unit, lying on its side. He had completely bashed its skull in, had crushed it in his hand. Focusing on it, he saw an appendage - a human appendage. _Sasuke..._ Menma noticed Hinata slowly approaching Unit 00, hatred flaring up in his eyes.

"You bitch! Don't you even dare!" Unit 09 moved forward, grabbing the girl and bringing up closer, the corpse of Unit 00, abandoned. "You used me! YOU USED ME!" Hot tears spilled from his eyes. "I hate you, but...why? Why are you doing this?!"

Hinata stared up at him. "Humans are the cause of all suffering within this world." She reiterated the rhetoric she had memorized and repeated as a child alongside Sasuke. "War is constant and the motives behind it are of no concern. Religion, ideology, resources, land, grudges, love, or just because… No matter how pathetic the reason, it's enough to start a war. War will never cease to exist… Reasons can be thought up after the fact. Human nature pursues strife. If you kill someone, someone else will kill you…this hatred binds us together. I want you to feel pain, to think about pain, to accept pain, to know pain_._"

"What the hell are you even talking about Hinata?! That's all a bunch of bullshit! Stop it! Stop it!" Despite his demands, she continued. "I can't control it much longer. The Third Eye will be opened and all of humanity will be eradicated - returned to their Lord and peace shall reign."

Menma was crying now, choking sobs could be heard over the static. Hinata smiled, knowing it would only take a little bit more. "The moment people come to know love, they run the risk of carrying hate. And you," She paused, a loving admiration evident in her voice, "Are so full of hatred..."

"You're disgusting." Unit 09 tightened it's grip on the young girl's body. "How dare you...use her voice...and her image..." A choking sound could be heard. "I'll destroy...every single one of you until there's nothing left!" There was a long pause, in which Hinata seemed to mouth something at Menma.

He stared at her lips, trying to decipher what was being said. _"It was nice meeting you-"_

His strangled gasps becoming tendrils of laughter. It swelled up in Menma's chest and died and in its death, Unit 09 had closed its hand around Hinata's body. The last, half formed word becoming clear in his mind's eye. _"-again."_

Blood.

A scream.

And then, nothing.

* * *

"I'm tired."

"I know."

* * *

**A/N: **If you've watched Evangelion, this is my tribute chapter to that particular franchise. (And this would make so much sense if you did, so if you don't get it, I suggest watching the series! It's great, aside from all...horrible stuff that goes down!)


	22. Jump

_Jump  
_

"I can't believe I got assigned to a mission with you!", yelled Hinata. She was disgruntled and annoyed. Her legs were covered in small cuts that were becoming more and more irritated. Clenching her fist, she fought the urge to scratch and pick at the wounds. "You're not exactly my dream partner either, toots.", replied Sasuke. They were returning from a reconnaissance mission in the Land of the Wind. They had traveled extensively into the Land of Fire and they were getting quite close to Konoha's borders.

"I didn't even _want_ to become a ninja. It's overrated." Hinata rolled her eyes in response. _Typical Sasuke_, she thought, _Always a total, self-centered asshole._ He continued with his rant, "What's the point? If the only girl I actually like hates me?" Hinata growled. "Would you drop it already? I've _told_ you, I'm with Menma." Sasuke grunted and they continued on their journey.

"Like it matters...", he faintly grumbled.

They pushed off of the tree branches, never breaking pace until Sasuke's foot was caught. He yelled and grabbed the hem of Hinata's jacket, "What the-"

A bright light engulfed them both just as Hinata, mid-jump, slammed into a wall - an orange...wall? Hinata lifted her hand up to her eyes and frowned_, _unable to see due to the harsh light. She was in Konoha but...this place was different. "Sasuke?" She turned, expecting the young Uchiha behind her and swore aloud when she saw no one.

"Are you alright, Hinata?" _That voice..._ "Hinata?" There was a hand extended towards her and she latched on to it, allowing herself to be pulled up. She frowned. It was Menma. But, she was on a mission, on her way home... "Thank you, Me-"

"Naruto!" The blond in front of her, turned, waving his hand up in acknowledgement. "Sakura!" The pink haired kunoichi ran up and upon seeing Hinata, smiled. "Hey Hinata!" Grasping at straws, Hinata lifted her hand up to her forehead. Confusion clear on her face. "Yes, I'm fine." Sakura, suddenly aware of what Hinata was wearing, frowned. "It's a bit cold for that outfit, isn't it?"

Hinata's lips quirked up in response, crossing her arms. "It is none of _your _concern." Sakura, shocked at such a biting remark, looked hurt and walked off, annoyed. Naruto, however, was openly staring at her. Taking a chance, as she always did - _did she? She couldn't remember._ She offered him one of her smiles and hooked her arm with his. "Let's go out for a meal, eh, Naruto-kun?" The name felt strange on her tongue, as though it didn't belong.

Spluttering, he agreed, flustered and embarrassed at her direct manner. She walked with him to Ichiraku's, it felt as natural as breathing. Everything was going smoothly until it came time to order. "Nori miso with extra menma, please." Naruto gave her a confused look. "I thought you liked pork miso with narutomaki, Hinata?" Blinking, she shook her head as if to clear it. Changing her order, Hinata requested a pork miso - as did Naruto - with narutomaki. She felt as though something was very wrong with the entire thing but she kept her mouth shut and ate her meal.

They kept up light conversation, with Naruto keeping her happy and entertained. It was very late at night that she finally made her way to the compound. Again, Naruto agreeing to walk her back stirred something in her. Nonplussed, she accepted the offer. However, now that she was in bed and staring up at the ceiling, she felt very empty.

"But...I love Naruto-kun, right?"

* * *

The next day, Hinata remained confused. Her usual outfit was receiving a number of looks - she couldn't find another pair of clean shorts, so she opted for pants and her crop top and open jacket - maybe because it was different today? Again, she wandered about the village. Deciding to squeeze in some training, she decided to run a few laps around the village. In the trees.

It sounded like a wonderful idea.

At first, until she slipped and landed head first on someone.

Blinking, her hand moved up to rub her eyes. "My apologies..." Looking up, she recognized this man. Her position was strange, as though she had been laying flat on her back for several hours. _Sasuke. His name is Sasuke._ "Sorry, Hina, I didn't mean to bring you down with me."

_Sasuke._

"What happened?"

His onyx eyes became amused. "I slipped and grabbed onto the closest thing - a rockin' hot bod." He winked and prepared himself for the punch he was sure to receive. Expect, it didn't come. "Well, if you're alright, we better be getting to the village."

He stood up and held out his hand for her to take. To his surprise, she took it and pulled herself up. Releasing him, she walked beside him. Losing herself in her thoughts, she didn't notice the scenery changing around them as they finally made it back from their mission. Nor did she notice the wall of flesh that she walked into. "My apologies," Looking up, she made eye contact with the blonde. "Oh, Nar-"

"Menma! Sasuke is back from hi-"

"I know."

_Menma._

_ a_

Vermillion stained her skin. She vaguely remembered touching her lips and seeing scarlet and then...

Nothing.

* * *

The fragile paper bleeding bits of black and gray, it was yellowed with age. His eyes were skipping over the majority of the passages recorded - he wasn't in the mood for reading theories, scenarios and mathematics. After flipping to the appropriate page, he scanned it briefly, several pieces of the text standing out to him.

_It is my sincere belief that our world exists in tandem with other worlds. For a lack of a better word, our world is one of many possibilities. Each and every decision undertaken by man has had a profound effect on our lives, whether we are aware of it or not. Further, I have reason to believe that life after death is not a stream of consciousness - it a return or a reappearance. We maintain the same knowledge about our previous encounters and all the possible encounters that stem from them, however, unable to cope with such, we force them out of active thought process. Similar cases have been reported before, one by a Sakura Haruno and another by a Hinata Hyuga. The two individuals described their time in a place very similar to their home with various differences. Unfortunately, these were separate occurrences and hold little credibility as both suffered short term amnesia, headaches, dizzy spells, bouts of insanity and excessive bleeding of the eyes and nose..._

It continued to describe the two women, listing their symptoms and the treatment they had to undergo. What he was looking for was on the next page, so he continued his perusal of the book.

Ah, there it was. His favorite bit - a mixture of melancholy, insanity and romance. It was written by one of the women mentioned earlier.

_I remember different times and different places and different names and different people. They are all the same, ending with me - meeting and loving you. I am confident and beautiful. I am shy and kind. I am deformed and stupid. I am - I am everything and nothing all at once. You, you are my constant companion. My favorite is when your name is different - you love me then. But when your name is the same - is it always the same? I don't know anymore. You don't love me. You _hate_ me. You cause me pain and suffering. Are we always going to be like this? Back and forth, you and I? I envy myself. I find myself hating you too. Yet, I always find myself by your side. We exchange pleasentries for a brief moment and I find myself infatuated for the rest of my - our - your - life, lives. We've known each other since childhood and yet, you - me - end up with different people. I am a fool. A fool for always falling for you. That is not all. I see myself dying a hundred, thousand deaths. Sometimes, you kill me, sometimes, I kill you. There is so much pain, I can hardly contain it - I want to cry, but I've cried so many times before..._

As such, it continued. The ramblings of a mad woman.

"Mark, what are you reading?" The blond set down the book and answered, "Nothing, Helena." He rose, offering his hand to the dark haired girl. She laughed, reaching down and feeling for the book. Her eyes were a milky white, as though there was a lens covering it. He knew that it was some odd genetic mutation - her entire family had it - that caused their eyesight to deteriorate rapidly. "Forget the book, come on, we should be heading out." Guiding her out the door, he cast one glance at the book, thinking over what he had read and seen.

There was a portrait of the woman in question on the margin of the page. With her black hair, red lips and milky eyes - standing next to a dark haired man with bright blue eyes. Mark shook his head and left, chastising himself. After all, he was a _blond_. It was impossible for him to have a connection with the couple pictured - even if Helena and him shared an uncanny resemblance.

* * *

**A/N:** Eh. This was originally meant as something else but then I ran away with it.


End file.
